As per Business Standard in 2014-15, the dropout rate at various school levels (primary, upper primary and secondary) ranged from 4% to 17%. Plus, the unemployment rate of Indian youth is more than 6.2%. This does not seem ideal for a growing economy like India. Therefore, to guide the Indian youth towards a bright future, the Government of India launched PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana.

Read on to know the various vital PMKVY details!

Implemented by National Skill Development Corporation, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana or PMKVY is the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship flagship scheme.

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana focuses on those willing to enter the industry and also those having a prior learning experience.Interested individuals can select any course listed under this scheme depending on eligibility criteria.Candidates having prior experience or skills go through assessment and receive certification under the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) recently launched the third phase of this flagship scheme on 15th January 2021 — Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY 3.0).

Now that you know the meaning of PMKVY, dive into the various other details of this scheme.

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana aims to encourage Indian youth to join industry-based skill training to make them more employable and help them secure a better future.Besides this, it aims to:

• Benefit 8 lakh youth over the scheme period (2020-21)
• Develop an ecosystem for Indian youth for making informed choices on available skilling avenues
• Extend support to the youth for certification and skill training.
• Establish sustainable Skill Centres for higher participation of the private sector.

The different features mentioned below are the ones applicable under the third phase of PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY 3.0):

• MSDE coordinates with State Governments and Central Ministries for recognition of NSQF certification as a prerequisite to hire contractual employees.It also aims to make hiring NSQF certified workforce mandatory for contractors or vendors as part of their contract.
• PMKVY is in accordance with National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) and Common Cost Norms. An approval from the Steering Committee is necessary to initiate any amendment in these.
• The payment to Training Providers is divided into tranches: 30% on the start of training batches, 30% on placement verification and 40% on successful certification.Apart from this, other incentives like post-placement support, boarding and lodging, conveyance and additional support are according to Common Cost Norms.
• Candidates who wish to know more about Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana may enrol for training under this scheme in the same sector for a maximum of two times - the second time must be only for a job role aligned with a higher NSQF.This is also applicable for fresh training on a different course in PMKVY, considering a gap of six months exists between the first course’s certification date and the starting date of a batch of the subsequent course.For these candidates, the payout is only given for enrolment and for up to two job roles.This payout is applicable for candidates, SSCs and PIAs.
• A special research cell at NSDC aims to match demand and supply continuously and also strengthen the Atma Nirbhar Skilled Employee-Employer Mapping (ASEEM) portal.
• SSCs or other relevant institutions will create Centres of Excellence (CoE) which would act as a resource and training centre for a given sector.The plan is to set up a minimum of one CoE for every sector.
• Vocational courses have also been introduced to schools in a phase-wise manner with the help of MoE. Implemented for classes 9 to 12, this component aims at exposing students to skill development avenues for vocational training roles.

Individuals must meet the below-mentioned criteria so as to be eligible under the PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana:

• Must be an unemployed youth or have dropped out of school or college midway through the academic tenure.
• Should be an Indian national having valid proof of identity such as an Aadhaar card, bank account or voter’s ID.

Online Procedure:

Individuals must follow the steps mentioned below in order to register for the PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana online:

• Step 1: Firstly, individuals must look for a training centre, and the registration in this centre can be done easily through the official website of PMKVY.

• Step 2: An applicant must enter all necessary details on the website after completing the registration in a training centre.

After a candidate enters all necessary details, the training partner obtains the information from the database and training gets arranged accordingly. After successful training, the candidates receive awards according to the norms of this scheme.

Offline Procedure:

Individuals willing to register themselves for this scheme through the offline route must visit any of the nearby PM Kaushal Vikas Centres (PMKVY) Kendras. While visiting these centres, they should carry their PAN card, bank passbook, Aadhaar card, and other documents.

Individuals must take note of the various PMKVY benefits illustrated below:

• Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana provides a Skill India card and a valid certification depending on which candidates can apply for various jobs and earn a livelihood.
• PMKVY extends financial and placement assistance to all those candidates who have received a certificate.
• PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana provides training to the experienced Indian youth to bridge the gap between their skills and industry requirements.
• Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana extends industry-based skills training to the unemployed youth and college or school dropouts so that they become fit for employment.
• PMKVY contributes to India's economic development by creating a skilled workforce.

Therefore, individuals must keep in mind the various details about PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana and follow the steps mentioned above if they want to register for this scheme.